The Swarthy Smith of the Socks “Let us place a bet. I will bet you three hundred marks that I will make something for the next fair, that nothing you can make within the same time could ever surpass.” By Liana Paraschaki Once a month, the city of Edinburgh witnesses…
The Boghall Brownie To leave my old haunts, oh my heart it is sair,But the wife gae me blankets – she’ll see me nae mair; By Liana Paraschaki It was the year 1850, and Boghall Farm was not doing particularly well. The farm had fallen into disarray, no trace could…
The Mermaid Wife She begged and begged and begged the Shetlander to give her back her skin. But the man, stunned by her beauty and eager to possess her, cruelly refused... By Liana Paraschaki and Illustration by Allison McKay Beneath the rolling hills and evergreen meadows of the Shetland Islands…
The Legend of Cora Linn “There cannot be a scene more romantic than this." By Kevin Robertson-Damer Thirty kilometres south of Glasgow, near the UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Lanark Mill, lie the Falls of Clyde. The area consists of four waterfalls; Bonnington Linn, Dundaff Linn, Stonebyres Linn and Corra…
The Wee Bannock It ran and ran, until it came across another large cottage that had just been newly thatched, and seeing the door open, the bannock took refuge inside; it ran right across the floor towards a fire that was burning in the first room it came to. By…
St. Mungo, The Foundation of Glasgow, and Four Miracles “Here’s the Tree that never grew, Here’s the Bird that never flew, Here’s the Bell that never rang, Here’s the Fish that never Swam.” By Kevin Robertson-Damer Saint Mungo was born to Saint Teneu in 518 AD, in Culross, Fife. It…
The Witch of Fife Here, all the Elves, Faeries, and Mermaids of the North were celebrating with Warlocks, Brownies, Pixies, and even the Phantom Hunters, of whom have never been looked upon by mortal eyes. By Joanne Fong Long ago, in the Kingdom of Fife, there lived an old man…
The Black Bull of Norroway 'Seven long years I served for thee, The glassy hill I clomb for thee, Thy bloody clothes I wrang for thee; And wilt thou not waken and turn to me?’ By Rosie Young Once, a long time ago in Norroway, there lived three sisters. The…
Sir James the Rose If you visit Crail, take a walk along South Marketgate, past The Golf Hotel along to the Parish Kirk where you’ll find a devilish tale… By David White Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Crimond, where we lay our scene. As you may have…
The Good Wife of Auchtermuchty “It’s unfair that you get to stay inside all day while I work in the fields every day,” said the husband. “Tomorrow, we will swap responsibilities. You will plough the fields and I will look after the house.” By Rebecca Brown On a farm in…